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APC Commercial Competencies > Inspection > Flashcards

Inspection Flashcards

1
Q

What are four steps to an inspection?

A
  1. Consider personal safety
  2. Inspection of local area
  3. External inspection - start with roof and work downwards
  4. Internal inspection
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2
Q

What should you consider when inspecting the local area?

A

Location, amenities

Contamination, environmental hazards, flooding, high voltage power lines, electricity substations

Comparable evidence, local market conditions, public transport

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3
Q

What to look for in an external inspection?

A

Aspect, business vibrancy, transport

Method of construction

Repair and condition

Car parking, access, loading arrangements

Defects - structural movement

Check site boundaries - eg OS map or title plan

Age the building - ask client, research planning consents, Grade Listed etc, ScotLis, historical records, architectural style

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4
Q

What to look for in an internal inspection?

A

Layout and specification - flexibility and obsolescence

Repair and maintenance

Defects - structural movement

Services - age and condition

Statutory compliance - eg asbestos, building regulations, health and safety, accessibility, fire safety

Fixtures and fittings improvements

Compliance with lease obligations

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5
Q

In terms of ‘valuation’, what is the purpose of an inspection?

A

To understand factors influencing value

Eg location, tenure, aspect, construction, defects, condition, occupation, etc

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6
Q

In terms of ‘property management’, what is the purpose of an inspection?

A

If occupied - check lease compliance, statutory compliance, state of building, requirement for repairs/ redecoration, user and details of actual occupier

If unoccupied - check statutory compliance, state of building, repair and maintenance issues, security arrangements, risk of vandalism and damage to building

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7
Q

For an Agency, what is the purpose of an inspection?

A

Consider current condition of building

Repair and maintenance issues

Statutory compliance

Services

Flexibility of accommodation

Marketability

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8
Q

Can you tell me a bit about four common types of foundations?

A
  1. Trench/ strip footings. Generally used in residential dwellings for closely spaced walls/ columns
  2. Raft. Slab foundation over the whole site, spreads load for lightweight structures. Eg for a conservatory or a workshop.
  3. Piled. Long and slender, reinforced steel columns into the ground to deeper strata for poorer soil conditions and high loads.
  4. Pad. Slab foundation under individual or groups of columns so column load is spread evenly, used for large purpose-built structures such as warehouses.
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9
Q

What is ‘solid wall construction’?

A

Normally two bricks thick

In patterns such as ‘Flemish bond’ (headers and stretchers alternating’ and English bond (row of headers, row of stretchers)

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10
Q

Can you tell me about ‘cavity wall construction’?

A

Two layers of brick tied together with metal ties, with cavity that may be filled with insulation

Headers not used

Evidence of cavity tray, air bricks, or weep holes may be seen

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11
Q

What is ‘efflorescence’?

A

White marks caused by hydroscopic salts in brickwork

Formed when water reacts with natural salts in bricks and mortar

Water evaporates on outer surface of wall depositing salts

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12
Q

What is ‘spalling’?

A

Damage to face of brickwork as a result of freeze/ thaw action during saturation in winter months

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13
Q

What are the ‘Institutional Specifications’ for shops?

A

Most new shops constructed of steel/ concrete frame

Services capped off

Concrete floor and no suspended ceiling

Let in shell condition with no shop front for retailers specification

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14
Q

What are the ‘Institutional Specifications’ for offices?

A

Most new offices constructed of steel/ concrete frame

Steel frame offices usually have larger span floor plans and less columns

Concrete frame offices usually have more columns, lower floor heights and a shorter span between columns

Check architect’s plans or building manual if you cannot determine construction type on site

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15
Q

Can you tell me some of the British Council for Offices Guide to Office Specifications (2019)?

A

Full accessed raised floors with floor boxes

Approximate ceiling height of 2.6 to 2.8m

Passenger lifts

1 cycle per 10 staff

A.C. and double glazing

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16
Q

Can you tell me about some types of air conditioning systems?

A

VAV - variable air volume (highest capital cost but most flexible)

Fan coil - usually 4 pipe (lowest capital cost and good flexibility, but higher running cost)

VRV - variable refrigerant volume (lower capital costs but higher running and maintenance costs)

17
Q

What are the different types of fit out?

A

Shell and core - common parts completed but office areas are shell for occupier fit out

Category A - such as grade A specification

Category B - complete fit out to occupier’s specific requirements, such as cellular office spaces and enhanced finishes, etc

Grade A - brand new building with high spec, excellent benefits of location

Grade B - no longer new, may be out of city centre

Grade C - poorer quality, usually 20 years older or more

18
Q

Current institutional specification for industrial/ warehouse space

A

Minimum 8m clear eaves with 10% roof lights

Plastic coated steel profiled cladding with brick or blockwork walls to approximately 2m

Full height loading doors

3 phase electricity power

18
Q

Current institutional specification for industrial/ warehouse space

A

Minimum 8m clear eaves with 10% roof lights

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19
Q

What are some types of building defect?

A

Inherent defect - defect in design or material which has always been present

Latent defect - fault to the property that could not be discovered by a reasonably thorough inspection of the property

20
Q

What four steps should you follow if you identify a defect?

A
  1. Take photographs
  2. Try to establish cause
  3. Inform client of your investigations
  4. Recommend specialist advice from building surveyor or structural engineer
21
Q

What are three common causes of defects?

A

Movement

Damp

Condensation

22
Q

Tell me more about ‘movement’

A

Subsidence - downward movement of building foundation caused by loss of support of soil/ change in soil conditions

Heave - expansion of ground beneath part or all of building. Could be caused by tree removal and subsequent moisture build up in soil

Horizontal cracking in brickwork - could be due to cavity wall tie failures

Shrinkage cracks - often in form in new plasterwork during drying out

Other cracks - may be caused by differential movement such as settlement cracks

Thermal expansion / movement can also cause cracks

23
Q

Tell me more about ‘damp’

A

Wet rot - caused by damp and timber decay. Signs include musty smell, wet and soft timbers, visible fungal growth, high damp meter

Dry rot - caused by fungal attack. Signs include fungal spores (fine, fluffy white strands and large orange mushroom-like bodies), strong smell, cracking paintwork, crumbing timber

Rising damp - usually up to 1.5 metres above ground level

Condensation - can be caused by lack of ventilation, and background heating. Signs include mould and condensation on windows/ walls

24
Q

What are some common building defects in ‘Period’ buildings?

A

Dry rot

Wet rot

Tile slippage

Death watch beetle

Damp penetration (roof and ground)

Water ingress (windows and door openings)

Structural movement/ settlement

25
Q

What are some common building defects in ‘Modern Industrial’ buildings?

A

Roof leaks around roof lights

Damaged cladding

Cut edge corrosion

Blocked valley gutters

Water damage from poor gutters or burst pipes

Settlement/ cracking in brickwork

26
Q

What are some common building defects in ‘Modern Office’ buildings?

A

Damp penetration (at roof and ground)

Water damage from pipes/ AC

Structural movement

Damaged cladding

Cavity wall brick tie failure

Efflorescence

Poor mortar joints

27
Q

Key legislation for ‘contamination’

A

Environmental Protection Act 1990, as amended

28
Q

RICS guidance for contamination?

A

‘RICS Guidance Note - Environmental Risks and Global Real Estate (2018) 1st ed.

Supersedes ‘Contamination, the Environment and Sustainability 2010 (3rd edition)

29
Q

What are the three typical phases of investigation?

A

Phase 1 - review site history with desk top study and site inspection - use property observation checklist

Phase 2 - investigation to identify nature and extent of contamination with soil samples taken (bore holes)

Phase 3 - remediation report setting out options with design requirements and monitoring standards

30
Q

What should you do if you have contamination concerns?

A

Suggest a specialist report?

Do not provide valuation advice until report is commissioned

Caveat advice provided with appropriate disclaimer / special assumption

Deduct remediation costs from gross site value

31
Q

Can you tell me about ‘Land Remediation Relief’ (LRR)?

A

Tax relief, applies to derelict or contaminated land in UK

Companies can claim up to 150% Corporation Tax relief for expenditure in remediating certain contamination or derelict sites

Includes Japanese Knotweed

32
Q

Can you tell me about ‘deleterious materials’?

A

Can degrade with age causing structural problems and negative environmental impacts

Signs include - brown stains on concrete and concrete frames (60s and 70s buildings)

Deleterious materials include:
- High alumina cement
- Woodwool shuttering - timber pulp cement
- Calcium chloride in cement

33
Q

Can you tell me about ‘hazardous materials’?

A

Hazardous material - harmful to health

Examples include
- Asbestos
- Silica dust in tiles, bricks, and cement - causes silicosis a type of lung disease
- Lead piping/ paint
- Radon gas

Recommend specialist reports and make appropriate assumptions in advance

34
Q

Can you tell me a bit about Japanese Knotweed?

A

Invasive plant with purple stems, green leaves and white flowers

Can cause damage to foundations/ surfaces

Difficult to control and costly to eradicate

35
Q

What are some disposal methods for Japanese Knotweed?

A

Chemical treatments

Digging out and removing to licenced landfill site

36
Q

What happens if you allow Japanese Knotweed to spread?

A

Criminal offence (under Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981)

Magistrate Court can impose a £5,000 fine and up to 6 month’s prison sentence

Crown Court can impose unlimited fine and up to 2-year prison sentence

Local Authorities can grant Community Protection Notices (CPD) and find up to £2,500 per person (and £20,000 for a company)

37
Q

What RICS publication is relevant to Japanese Knotweed?

A

New RICS Guidance Note: ‘Japanese Knotweed and Residential Property 1st Edition’

APC Commercial Competencies (8 decks)

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